The present invention relates to automotive waist belt constructions. More particularly, the present invention relates to a waist belt construction including a belt weatherstrip for an automotive vehicle.
Conventional automotive vehicles have doors with vertically moveable windowpanes. A belt weatherstrip molding is employed along the lower edge of the window pane to protect against the weather environment and to improve the appearance of the vehicle. The moveable windowpane is referred to as drop glass, and the upper metal flange of the outer door panel of the vehicle into which the windowpane drops is referred to as the waist belt of the automobile door. Belt weatherstrips are generally secured to waist belts by metal clips. However, improved belt weatherstrips have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,303 Nov. 13, 1990 to Emmons and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,308 May 28, 1991 to Vaughan.
There remains, however, room for improvement in belt weatherstrip arrangements. Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved waist belt having an outer belt weatherstrip which affords an automotive stylist a means to minimize the amount of black weatherstrip seen at the waist belt. The present invention also affords an automotive stylist means to minimize the amount of offset between the outer surface of drop glass and the sheet metal of the outer door panel of a conventional metal automotive door. This obtains a semi-flush construction and provides a continuous condition along the side of the vehicle which is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also aids in smoothing the outer surface of the vehicle which can improve the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle.
Most automotive vehicles employ a reinforcing bracket attached by a pinchweld flange along the waist belt area of the automotive door. The present invention employs a hem flange instead of a pinchweld flange to fasten the panel to its reinforcement. The purpose of the reinforcement is to strengthen the belt opening of the door. In accordance with the present invention, the reinforcement is shaped to form a box channel when mated to the inner or outer door panel of the door and upward facing slots are provided in the box channel. The slots cooperate with downwardly extending legs of a cooperating belt weatherstrip which extend therein. This construction minimizes the amount of black weatherstrip presented to the eye at the waist belt, minimizes the offset between drop glass and sheet metal outer surfaces and obtains a semi-flush construction.
Further understanding of the present invention will be had from the following disclosure and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.